Cabinet sub Committee meeting held

Irrigation and Public Health Minister Ravinder Singh Ravi said that Aryabhatta Geo-Informatics and Space Application Centre will start functioning from 31st December and added that State Centre for Climate Change is also being established in the state to monitor the climate changes and for undertaking research activities.

Irrigation and Public Health Minister disclosed this while presiding over the meeting of Cabinet sub Committee to implement the promises made in the election manifesto held under his chairmanship here today. Dr Rajiv Bindal, Health Minister and Jai Ram Thakur Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister, who were the members of the Committee, were also present in the meeting. Promises and progress pertaining to Environment Science and Technology, Urban Development and Town and Country Planning departments were reviewed in the meeting.

Ravinder Singh Ravi said that 102 panchayats of the state were being covered under the Community Led Awareness, Advocacy and Action Programme ( CLAP ) for Environment Protection and Carbon Neutrality this year. He suggested that an assessment of employment and community benefits provided besides supplementary income to individuals should be made to study the impact of the programme. He said that farmers have been immensely benefited after excluding 35 items out of forest produce enabling them to sell those directly in the market. He said a master plan was also being made for undertaking plantation programmes and construction of parks at tehsil, block and district levels.

Irrigation and Public Health minister said that 5597 farmers were provided 10, 82,250 herbal plants free of cost under central assistance scheme being implemented to promote herbal cultivation in the state. He said that 2202 farmers have been provided 200 sq ft poly houses besides a financial assistance of Rs 13, 36, 000 to 1336 BPL farmers under the scheme.

The Minister said that various steps like banning polythene, plastic carry bags, nine point environment protection code for school children, green school assessment programme, eco monitoring programme and creation of environment fund have proved effective in persevering the environment of the State.

Dr Rajiv Bindal directed the officers to speed up the pace of ongoing developmental schemes so that promises made in the election manifesto could be implemented soon.

Jai Ram Thakur said that government was committed to fulfill all the promises made in the election manifesto.

Additional Chief Secretary, Environment Science and Technology S.Roy, and Principal Secretary Urban Development and Town and Country Planning Manisha Shridhar informed about the progress pertaining to their departments. Special Secretary, GAD J. R. Katwal, welcomed the ministers and read out the agenda.

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